Seven-time U.S. Women's Champion: Irina Krush

Irina Krush

Seven-time U.S. Women's Champion and Grandmaster

US Chess Rating Page

Birthday: December 24, 1983

City: Brooklyn, NY

Irina Krush is a seven-time U.S. Women's Champion, winning in 1998, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. She holds the record for the youngest player to win the title from her first victory at age 14, dominating the event with 8.5 points out of 9. She also is the player to have won the championship the most times in the last 50 years. Krush has competed for the U.S. Women's team at every Olympiad since 1998, playing key roles in the team's silver medal in 2004 and bronze medal in 2008. Krush earned her grandmaster title in 2013, obtaining norms at the 2001 NYC Mayor's Cup, 2013 Women's World Team Championship, and 2013 Baku Open. Here is Krush's victory over the 14th Women's World Champion, Alexandra Kosteniuk, at the 2016 Olympiad.

[pgn][Event "Chess Olympiad (Women)"]
[Site "Tromso NOR"]
[Date "2016.09.10"]
[Round "8.1"]
[White "Alexandra Kosteniuk"]
[Black "Irina Krush"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B42"]
[WhiteElo "2538"]
[BlackElo "2444"]
[PlyCount "134"]
[EventDate "2016.09.02"]1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. O-O Qc7 7. Qe2 d6 8. a4
b6 9. f4 Nbd7 10. b4 d5 11. e5 Ne4 12. Ba3 a5 13. Nb5 Qc6 14. bxa5 Bc5+ 15.
Bxc5 Ndxc5 16. Na7 Qc7 17. axb6 Qxb6 18. Nxc8 Rxc8 19. Bb5+ Nd7+ 20. Kh1 Qa7
21. Bd3 Ndc5 22. Qe3 Rc7 23. Na3 Qa5 24. Nb5 Rc8 25. Nd4 O-O 26. Bb5 Ra8 27.
Rf3 Qb4 28. Bc6 Ra6 29. f5 Rc8 30. Bb5 Raa8 31. c3 Qb2 32. Raf1 Qd2 33. fxe6
fxe6 34. Nc6 Rc7 35. Qd4 h6 36. Qb4 Qg5 37. g3 Qd2 38. Nd4 Qg5 39. Nc6 Qd2 40.
Nd4 Qg5 41. Bc6 Rac8 42. c4 Qd2 43. Qxd2 Nxd2 44. cxd5 Nxf3 45. Rxf3 exd5 46.
Bxd5+ Kh7 47. Rf4 Rd7 48. Bc4 g5 49. e6 gxf4 50. exd7 Nxd7 51. Bd3+ Kh8 52. Bf5
Rc1+ 53. Kg2 Nc5 54. gxf4 Nxa4 55. Kg3 Nc5 56. Ne6 Nd7 57. Nd4 Nf6 58. Nf3 Rc3
59. h3 Kg7 60. Bb1 Rc4 61. Ne5 Rb4 62. Bg6 Nd5 63. Bf5 Nxf4 64. Ng4 Ne2+ 65.
Kh4 Nd4 66. Be4 Ne6 67. Bg2 h5 0-1[/pgn]